What is Hexagram 31, Influence?
Hexagram 31, Influence (咸 Xián), is built from Lake (兌 Duì) over Mountain (艮 Gèn), and the Wilhelm-Baynes translation reads its themes as attraction, influence, courtship. The classical sources describe it as a pattern in the Book of Changes (易經 Yìjīng), a situation to recognise, not a verdict to obey.
Key Takeaways
- Hexagram 31 is built from Lake (兌 Duì) over Mountain (艮 Gèn).
- Its central themes, attraction, influence, courtship, receptivity, sit in the Wilhelm-Baynes lineage.
- The classical pairing matches the hexagram to Rose Quartz as the meditation stone.
- Read alongside BaZi, Kua, and Compass School sector mapping for a fuller picture.
- This is a pattern, not a verdict, the I-Ching frames reflection, not prediction.
The Judgment
Influence. Success. Perseverance furthers. To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune.
The Image
A lake on the mountain: the image of Influence. Thus the superior person encourages people to approach through receptiveness.
Master Wei Lin's Interpretation
Interpretation by Master Wei Lin, Chinese Metaphysics Scholar, pattern recognition, not fortune-telling
The lake above the mountain, the soft yielding to the firm, the joy resting on stillness. Influence here is mutual attraction, resonance, and the natural magnetism between complementary forces. Your question involves connection, attraction, or the desire to move someone. The teaching: true influence comes from openness, not manipulation. Be receptive, and what is meant for you will approach.
The Six Lines
When a changing line appears in your reading, its text carries special guidance for your situation.
Line 1 (bottom)
“The influence shows itself in the big toe.”
Line 2
“The influence shows itself in the calves of the legs. Misfortune. Tarrying brings good fortune.”
Line 3
“The influence shows itself in the thighs. Holds to that which follows it. To continue is humiliating.”
Line 4
“Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse disappears. If a person is agitated in mind, and thoughts go hither and thither, only those friends on whom one fixes conscious thought will follow.”
Line 5
“The influence shows itself in the back of the neck. No remorse.”
Line 6 (top)
“The influence shows itself in the jaws, cheeks, and tongue.”
🔮 Crystal for Hexagram 31
Rose Quartz
Hold Rose Quartz while meditating on Influence. Its energy resonates with the themes of attraction, influence, courtship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Hexagram 31 (Influence) mean?
In the Wilhelm-Baynes translation of the I-Ching (易經 Yìjīng), Hexagram 31, Influence (咸 Xián), is read through Lake (兌 Duì) over Mountain (艮 Gèn). The classical sources describe its themes as attraction, influence, courtship. This is pattern recognition, not prediction.
What is the Judgment for Influence?
The Judgment reads: "Influence. Success. Perseverance furthers. To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune.", the Judgment is the I-Ching's classical summary of the situation the hexagram describes, and what the present moment is asking of the reader.
What is the Image for Influence?
The Image reads: "A lake on the mountain: the image of Influence. Thus the superior person encourages people to approach through receptiveness.", in the classical sources the Image is the elemental picture, the upper and lower trigrams in conversation, that the reader holds while sitting with the hexagram.
What crystal pairs with Hexagram 31?
Rose Quartz is the traditional pairing for Influence. The classical Chinese gemology lineage associates this stone with the hexagram's central themes, hold it during meditation on the reading. This is reflective practice, not divination-as-prediction.
How is Hexagram 31 read in BaZi or Feng Shui?
An I-Ching cast is one consultation. The fuller reading, Four Pillars (四柱 Sì Zhù), Kua personal feng shui, and Compass School sector mapping, reads the hexagram alongside the chart. Master Wei Lin's Master Reading section synthesizes the Book of Changes alongside BaZi and the other Chinese metaphysics traditions.
More Hexagrams
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